Mayor promises to help revive Food Park

A representative committee of traders, IMC to be formed

ISLAMABAD:

With the restrictions imposed, in the wake of the novel coronavirus pandemic, all but lifted, the mayor on Monday assured traders of the city that they will facilitate the revival of the Food Park apart from addressing other issues there.

This was assured by Islamabad Metropolitan Corporation (IMC) Mayor Sheikh Ansar Aziz on Monday in a meeting with a delegation from the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) led by its Senior Vice President Tahir Abbasi. They discussed key issues of the business community of the federal capital.

Discussing the food park, Aziz said it was a great project but the situation created by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic had badly affected the business there.

Assuring the traders of his support in reviving the park, Aziz said that the IMC will form a committee in collaboration with the chamber to make the park functional again and revive business activities there.

37% of Pakistan's population faces food insecurity

This committee, he said, will include two representatives each from the ICCI, the IMC and the Islamabad Restaurants Association.

When reviving the park, Aziz said that special concessions will be given to those businesses who have been regularly paying rent.

ICCI Senior Vice President Abbasi and Vice President Saif said that the establishment of a food park in Islamabad was a commendable initiative as it promoted many businesses in the area while people are enjoying good food in it.

However, they said that the business activities in the food park have all but halted due to the novel coronavirus outbreak.

They demanded that the IMC should provide special incentives to the businesses of Food Park so that they could revive their business activities.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 18^th, 2020.